Tag Archives: africa

As a representative of wapa.org.za I would like to take the opportunity of reposting this blog, which was contributed to by the exec committee, as a prediction of the IT landscape for South Africa in 2014.

One of the key objectives of the Wireless Access Providers’ Association (WAPA) is to add value to WAPA membership by providing additional services in line with both the growth of the industry and its members’ needs. The WAPA executive committee, comprising volunteer industry professionals, is therefore constantly monitoring the South African and global landscape, in order to understand the market context and drivers.

There are several technologies and trends in telecommunications and IT which WAPA expects to become even more prominent in 2014, including:

Penetration of and sophistication of smartphone and mobile applicationsConverged connectivity services Wi-Fi in various formsDelivery of value-added servicesWAPA predicts an ever-increasing penetration of smartphones as, on the supply side, mobile carriers will encourage uptake and consumption of mobile data by subsidising or leasing smartphones with contracts, and very affordable low-end smartphones will be introduced by handset manufacturers. Consumers will predominantly use smartphones for social media, mapping, web browsing and communications, but will however start taking advantage of the new ‘mobile-first’ functionality delivered by the private and public sectors.

Businesses such as banks, retailers, and even the government will begin to deliver services designed for a mobile platform, such as payments, coupon and loyalty applications and even the payments of council bills and traffic fines via mobile. For certain types of businesses, having a mobile strategy will therefore move to the forefront in 2014.

Telkom has long led the convergence charge, offering consumers and businesses bundled services comprising fixed and mobile connectivity. In 2013, they were joined by Afrihost and MWEB, both of which complemented their home ADSL services with mobile “MiFi” offers. MWEB has made public its intention to build a nationwide Wi-Fi network and offer bundled home and public-access connectivity.

WAPA expects this trend to continue in 2014, specifically in the consumer marketplace, as these industry leaders are joined by others, and alliances formed between both incumbent players and upstarts or smaller, specialist companies.

Many analysts have already predicted that 2014 will be a breakout year for Wi-Fi in South Africa, and WAPA has seen this already taking shape internally. Wi-Fi can form the third leg of a mobile/home/Wi-Fi converged service if and when service providers are able to build open access carrier-grade Wi-Fi networks in high foot traffic locations. The recently announced collaboration between WAPA and the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) is geared towards providing industry education to enable the building of such networks according to established best practices.

According to Effective Measure’s November 2013 demographics report, the percentage of South Africans accessing the internet over ADSL dropped sharply from 51% to 42%, while the percentage accessing the internet over Wi-Fi grew from 28% to 34%.

The smartphone proliferation will also fuel the installation of Wi-Fi networks designed to do more than just provide basic connectivity. In the past, consumers would have to search for relevant local content or check in on the likes of FourSquare to see what offers were available. New software solutions coming onto the market in 2014 will turn this equation on its head, allowing consumers to access local content and offers easily through the use of smartphone location in an intelligent Wi-Fi network.

This is just one example of value-added services delivered over smartphones connected to the internet. From WhatsApp and the big marketing push from Tencent’s WeChat this year, software companies will continue to introduce smartphone applications that deliver additional content over a data connection. In the residential space, expect to see content in the form of video-on-demand as Telkom is rumoured to be in talks with Netflix, and MWEB will begin pushing content from the Naspers engine to home-internet users.

South Africa can also expect to see ever-dropping broadband prices and faster speeds. While WAPA applauds Telkom for continuing to lower IP Connect rates, overall costs will remain quite high until ADSL line-rental costs are lowered, which is unlikely to happen in the short term. Since fibre to the home will remain an expensive proposition, high quality and high speed connections delivered by wireless ISPs (WISPs) will remain competitive and may even become more competitive relative to ADSL, as WISPs introduce better, faster, and cheaper connectivity products. This will lead to an increase in the rate of substitution away from ADSL.

The common theme in these trends is better, faster and easier connectivity which provides more value to consumers. Much of this will happen naturally over wireless, as wireless point-to-point links over licence-exempt spectrum offer a reliable and cost-effective way to provide connectivity to consumer devices either through Wi-Fi or SIM card. From WAPA’s vantage point, 2014 promises to be a good and exciting year for the wireless industry!

Just wanted to enlighten my blog readers about this site. This blog is about entrepreneurs thinking BIG. They try to keep the tone light and fresh, current and sometimes controversial. They like to give things and plenty of resourceful information to their readers. With about 2000 or so readers per day, I do recommend our young aspiring entrepreneurs in Africa to follow this blog.

Small ideas can make a huge impact. IT activist Ory Okollah shares her experience with CNN about her Ushahidi software which was initially developed to report humanitarian crime in Africa, but saved thousands of lives in Haiti.

Social media is now the fastest-growing form of communication in history. It recently surpassed email as the primary form of electronic communication.

Consumer trust in paid advertising has flat lined. People are demanding deeper dialog with brands. Social media is the fastest-growing form of communication in history, but there is a wide chasm between good and great social media.

Social media represents an enormous market opportunity, and while there are some great social media experts and consultants out there, few understand how to drive tangible results and ROI for their clients. We do. Because it’s all we do. We are the preeminent social media agency in America. Here are a few reasons why:

We know this business cold. We focus on social media 24/7/365. In social media, there is a wide chasm between knowing and doing. In order to craft and execute a savvy social media campaign, one must be savvy in social media. You’ve got to be in there, digging into the platforms yourself before you can do it for someone else. CyberAfrica is a prolific social media influencer. He is in the trenches of social media.

We never take on more business than we can handle. Social media requires a careful, consistent application. An agency cannot juggle 20+ clients and expect to give them the service they deserve. People on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN…have very sensitive antennae. They know if you mean it. We get at the heart of our client’s brand messages, so that we can produce the best results. We hand-select a few “best-of-class,” non-competing clients — and we provide them with unmatched service and unsurpassed results.

We focus on social media (but we understand PR and earned media as well). With the jaw-dropping growth of social media, most pr firms are rushing into social media and cobbling together their approach. They talk a good game, but they don’t always walk the walk. Traditional pr tactics are sometimes unethical to a successful social media program. But, we are not social media zealots. We know how important, and impactful, traditional print and broadcast media can be – since our Founder and CEO is a member of the African media! We have a trump card few PR firms can do.

We make our clients lives simpler, not more complex. Social media can seem downright daunting. We make sense of social media and we help our clients get the most out of it — in the least amount of time. We distill social media down to its essence and focus on the best social media platforms for our clients.

We are pioneering a new category. Monetizing social media while building brand loyalty is a bit of a highwire act. It requires a deft touch. It’s something we do very well on behalf of our clients.

* We are ruthlessly data-driven. Most social media agencies push the “brand value” message of social media. They do a fancy dance and explain how the value is “getting the word out” and “engaging with your audience.” True. There is brand value in engaging social media. But for it to drive revenue, you must constantly measure, hone and refine. You need to dig into the sentiment analysis tools, Tweetdeck, Meteor Tracker and TubeMogul to see which Tweets, which Facebook posts, which YouTube videos are gaining traction, resonating with your audience and driving sales. Got that? Driving. Sales. Most people say social media cannot be — or needn’t be — measured. We could not more stringently disagree. Social media ROI can be tracked, should be tracked and ought to be honed and refined week over week. And we are fanatical about doing that for our clients.
* We start where most agencies end. Once you establish a Twitter account, a Facebook page, a uStream channel and a WordPress website and blog, the work just begins. We invest the necessary time to bring our clients up to speed, explain best practices — and give them all of the tools they need to optimize their social media marketing programs.
* We care — and we work harder than any social media agency. For every client we bring on, we respectfully decline several. That is because we treasure our clients. When we work with a brand, it means we love them and the way they do business. If our clients have a problem or question, we get back to them within minutes, not hours or days. Fewer clients may not lead to better profits, but it does lead to better results.
* We have what no agency has. We have an A-list social media influencer at the helm who works personally with our clients. Ian, with the support of his team, produce stellar results for our clients in both social and traditional media.
* We do good business as we do good in the world. We believe” good for our world” can indeed be “good for business.”

Deon Friis, a Cape Town based engineer, left London yesterday (on his birthday) on an epic motorcycle journey on a Inspired by Ewan McGregor. A local South African working as an engineer in London for the last 6 months, he is travelling solo across 11 African countries, over 55 days, on a BMW RS 1200 GS motorbike, in aid of the charity Riders for Health. Please support this wonderful cause, to raise funding ‘Riders for Health’ which is a non-governmental organization dedicated to reaching communities in rural Africa with health care on a regular basis by establishing an infrastructure of reliable and sustainable transportation. Riders for Health mobilise health workers from ministries of health and local organizations, enabling them to reach outlying communities with vital and often life-saving health care.

CyberAfrica has been chosen to provide all digital marketing via social media for this epic journey. We are excited to provide live updates, using the best technologies available on the Internet. Social Media is the pre-eminent social media marketing in the world today— and we are leading the way in “social media for social good.”

CyberAfrica coalesces the strengths of traditional and social media to help its clients –- best-of-class brands, socially-conscious companies and leading charitable organizations elevate brand equity, drive revenue, boost donations, build brand evangelism and catalyze social change. We do good business with good people as we do good in our world.

We are not a public relations firm wearing a social media hat. We are a highly-effective, highly-selective social media firm that helps brands get the most out of social media — whatever their business, whatever their goals. We hand-select a few best-of-class clients each year, which enables us to provide unequalled service and unmatched results.

Social media also gives you the opportunity to tell your own story in your own way. You’re not limited to “the story you think you can sell to the reporter.”

Ian Anderson, the owner and founder of CyberAfrica, chatted to Deon before he left London yesterday. Deon has put everything on line; he has resigned from his job in London, all his personal savings are being used for the trans-African trip, and his wife just lost her job in Cape Town. They also have a three year old daughter to support, but his philanthropic motivation for this cause is very important to him. Speaking to his wife Leone in Cape Town this morning, she supports Deon 100% with what he is doing, and being a South Africa male, she says he needs to follow through his adventurous spirit, and she looks forward to a content Deon when he arrives back.

Follow Deon’s journey on his London 2 The Cape site , and please help donate to the wonderful cause. All donations can be made through a Paypal account for Riders for Health, and we are in the process of opening a South African bank account and credit card donation link.

CyberAfrica is a B2B dedicated to the promotion and implementation enabling technologies for development throughout Africa. We use social media as the main thrust to maximise this goal.

Social Media is the pre-eminent social media marketing in the world today— and we are leading the way in “social media for social good in Africa.”

Social Media is the pre-eminent social media marketing in the world today— and we are leading the way in “social media for social good in Africa.”

We are a group of talented, passionate specialists who resolutely believe that social media can unleash the greatest good our world has ever seen. We saw it everyday, and we see it among the millions of people we reach each month across our social media platforms. CyberAfrica coalesces the strengths of traditional and social media to help its clients –- best-of-class brands, socially-conscious companies and leading charitable organizations elevate brand equity, drive revenue, boost donations, build brand evangelism and catalyze social change. We do good business with good people as we do good in our world.

We are not a public relations firm wearing a social media hat. We are a highly-effective, highly-selective social media firm that helps brands get the most out of social media — whatever their business, whatever their goals. We hand-select a few best-of-class clients each year,which enables us to provide unequalled service and unmatched results

Social media represents the most seismic shift in the history of business. It is the fastest-growing form of communication in history — and it allows word-of-mouth to spread orders-of-magnitude faster than ever before. This means that “small town rules” apply once again. In other words, everyone knows what you’re saying. If your brand is good, the world will find out and do business with you. If you’re disingenuous, the world will find out and ignore you — or worse: punish you for it. Everyone has a voice now; do not underestimate the new “power of one.“

Doubt the power of social media? We have two words for you: Barack Obama. In 2004, few people had heard that name.

Within four years, the man would outpace the most well-oiled, well-entrenched political machine of our generation (The Clintons) and then proceed to steamroll his competition right into the While House. In. Four. Years. How did he do it? Soaring oratory and social media.

The heart of the business seeks and introduces technologies which would enhance a large proportion of the developing Africa’s population (the BoP or “Base of the Pyramid”)

By providing social media platforms with value adds with collaboration, will assist as being one of the many catalysts, to unleash the enormous wealth potential, Africa has to offer..

Embracing the true needs of the people is the key, thereby enabling entrepreneurship, empowering its people and communities. All technologies must have a direct & positive influence on people, and do not need to be cutting edge.

Our aim is to continually develop strategic partners with the best of breed ethical personalities and products, seeking common grounds with all parties involved, to minimise barriers of entry into markets and communities.

All the above will be a catalyst in enabling Africa to provide a platform to realise and unleash its full potential.

At present, we are committed to ICT and Cause Development in Africa within the following sectors: Education, Health & Welfare,Telecoms,Technology & Transformation

CyberAfrica promotes and is a signatory of the Constitution of Unashamedly Ethical (www.unashamedlyethical.com) , by committing ourselves and or our organizations to clean and ethical living and practices. We encourage our clients and associates to join our vision.